Valentimes

Okay, so how was the past week? It's weird how by the time I get to the end, I forget all the details. It was mostly okay, I think. Monday was kinda bad, I think, but the rest was mostly okay? Faculty meeting on Wednesday was a little on the arduous side. Ultimately it doesn't affect me (as I already made my own decision), but the district has revelaed its very aggressive plan of non-renewal (i.e. out-and-out firing, you can't work in another school in the district again) for teachers. Giving percentages of the numbers of teachers they want gone. Yesterday was parent conferences. I had a few parents show up. One was nice. One of my best students came with his mom and she told me that her son was always speaking highly of me. That was very nice. I told her how highly I speak of her son as well. Was there kind of late. Did come home to some mail, a package with: Allen Ravenstine/Robert Wheeler: City Desk, Robert Wheeler/Allen Ravenstine: Farm Report, and Solvent: New Ways (the soundtrack from I Dream of Wires) cds plus the I Dream of Wires shirt with the Make Noise logo (when I first pre-ordered the documentary, I didn't have any Make Noise stuff, actually I think this was before I had ANY eurorack stuff, also before I even came around on 'em because I hated their design-sense so much (which they have greatly improved on since)...though in spite of all that, I did like the way "I Dream of Wires" looked in that typography...anyway, even though I liked the shirt I couldn't be a poser). Of course, now I have a Maths so I'm no longer a poser and am all too happy to have a Make Noise-related shirt. Okay, yesterday was Valentine's Day. The students had a half day, but we had in service the rest of the day (as other teachers have loudly complained: "SNITCHES!"). Math and science departments had a third-party presentation on ACT strategies. It was actually pretty good. At one point, we were making up multiple choice options from a science passage. It was pretty fun coming up with the wrong answers. I came up with an awesome one: from the question "Based on the passage, how are sound waves used?" (we were supposed to get an "answer that uses phrases from other ideas or concepts elsewhere in the passage", hence) my choice C: "to recognize the work of Alexander Graham Bell." I laughed to myself and then the other teachers in my group laughed too and then when we shared with everyone, many also laughed. My proudest moment, yes. I know that falls into the category of way too much text for payoff and won't work unless you were actually THERE anyway, but this note's for me to remember. I'm not expecting you to laugh now, don't worry. Okay, so home to my wonderful wife. I got a gift of Call Me Burroughs by Barry Miles (hadn't heard of it but it just came out and is supposed to be good, it's nice and big and heavy). In the evening we went to the internet cat video film festival at the Brooks. Before, they had a bunch of arts/crafts type things to do. We both made drawing/paintings of Warhol cats. I'm so horrible at drawing, but my miserable-looking cat makes us laugh. The videos were mostly pretty funny, I mean, you get exactly what you're expecting. And all in all, a wonderful evening with my wonderful wife.